Drying method and apparatus for cylindrical articles



w`. I .wEBB 2,415,198 DRYING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Feb. 4, 1947.

Filed `June 30, 1944 NN t m NN *N QN MN Q N. 1. 4 v mm. MNHN? m\ a. NM NNI? i NN, MF w Luni?. M L .TILL Mam-. rl||hnuzlrlll|nll`hula|l|lxn|ll| QN w v Q .Q .mmumvwwwwwwwhwmww Patented Feb. 4, j

IRICAL ARTICLE Wesley L. Webb, Glen Moore,

Pa., assigner to American Viscose Corporatio Wilmington, mi., a eorporationnf Delawaren Appiieauon .lune 30, i944, Serial No. 542,857

is (ci. sian This invention relates to methods and apparal tus for drying hollow articles, such as cylindrical articles having a perforated end surface, and it is of a special advantage for drying spinnerets, such as are used in the production of artificial filaments.

in accordance with the ,present invention, the

articles are passed valong a path and a :duid medium-is directed against the article from two different directions, that from one direction entering the hollow article and that from the other direction being blown across the end of the article, and the article is rotated as it passes through the path. Additional objects.. features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the drawing and the description thereof hereinafter. In the drawing,v illustrative of the invention,

l Figure 1 is a lplan view of a form of apparatus adapted to dry spinnerets in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is anl elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on line III-III of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, a panel or table 2 carries a wail 3 and a guide strip i. Rotatably mounted at each endv of the table are pulleys 5 and 8 respectively,4 the former being adapted to be Y driven by a shaft I carrying the gear 8 while the latter pulley 6 is mounted on a shaft 8 slidable directs the iluidupwardly into-the spinneret passl ing thereover and slot v2t directs the uid up` wardly into a housing -which is enclosed at both ends and communicates only with the slot 28 in wall 3. Slot 26 is disposed sufiiciently high in the wall 3 that the fluid is directed above the belt Ii and across the end surface of the spinneret or other article being passed therethrough. A

conduit 2l may serve to supply air to the duct 22. A hood 28 is secured to the wall 3 so that it encloses the article passage way except for the4 necessary opening to permit entrance and exit of the articles with respect thereto. The upper portion of the ends may be partially enclosed by the walls 29.

A fluid discharge slot 30 may be provided along4 An entrance guideway is shown comprising the Y strips 3| and 32 respectively and an exit guideway is divided between the strips 33 and 34 respectively, all of such strips being undercut as shown at 35 or provided with shims in a. manner similar to the guide 4 to permit free passage of the flange of any article being handled.

Within the slot Il) inthe panel 2. The Shaft 9 is'carried in the yoke II which extends through the opening I2 in the panel. A rod I3 reciprocable within the projection I4 upon the panel 2 is secured at one end to the yoke II and has a head I5 at the other end against whicha spring I 8 presses, thereby tensioning'the belt Il' carried by the pulleys l and I.

The belt I1 is arranged so that one of its `courses passes along the surface ofthe wall 2 cpposite'the guide 4 at a small distance above the top surface of the panel so that the flange I3 of the spinneret I 9 ds not interfere with the making of contact between the belt and the spinneret surface. The wall 2 may be undercut at 20 to accommodate articles having larger flanges. Similarly, the guide 4 is spacedsomewhat above the top surface of the panel to accommodate the flange Il of the spinneret. As shown, this is accomplished by provision of .a shim 2| below the guide 4.

A fluid supply duct 22 is secured to the under surface of the panel and communicates with two slots 23 and 24 respectively disposed in the panel -on opposite sides of the wall 2 so that slot 22 ets causes 'them to be forced through the exit- -In operation, the spinnerets or the articles-pass in the direction indicated by the arrow through a path comprising the entrance guideway, the passage over, the slots 23 and 30, and exit between the guides 33 and 34. The articles may be fed to the entrance guideway between stripsl 3| and 32 byhand or the device may be disposed so that it slopes downwardly in the direction of the belt so that the articles are fed by gravity to the belt. In this event, the entrance guideway may be made considerably larger so that it is adapted to be charged with a considerably greaterinumber of spinnerets. Regardless of the way in which the spinnerets or articles are caused to come into contact'with the belt I1, the belt propels them along their path through the chamber 2B and in4 doing so causes them to rotate about the tangent 4they make against the guide 4. The action of the belt against accumulated articles or spinnerguideway and thence to a container vnot shown. A blast of fluid is directed into the hollow article as it passes over the slot 22and the action of the blast of fluid through the slot is most vigorous on the strips of the inside circumferential surface of the spinnerets which are in alignment directly with the slotv22. However, since the f article.

article is rotated as it travels through its path, the fluid blast exerts vigorous action at successive overlapping longitudinal strips of the inside cir- .cumferential surface of the spinneret. As the blast of fluid strikes the end wall of lthe article, it is deflected in a turbulent fashion to sweep over` the inside surface and where that surface is perforated as in a spinneret, a portion of the blast passes directly through the perforations, particularly those which are directly in alignment v above slot 23.` Again, because of the' rotation of the article, the most vigorous passage of the fluid blast through the perforations is effected through thosev immediately above the slot 23 at anygiven moment but eventually through all of the perforations as they are presented successively in alignment above the slot.-

The blast of fluid passing through slot 26 exerts a vigorous action across theface of the article and where there are perforations through the end thereof as in the case of spinnerets, the direction of the blastI from Islot 26 at an angle transverse to the direction that wouldbe taken by the uid blast passing through the perforations from the inside of the article serves to as- "sist in cleaning the outer surface and of simultaneously improving the effect of the uid streams passing through the perforations instead of reducing their effect, by opposing their force. Tifleair blast after passing over the end of the article is deflected downwardly to sweep over the oftheinterlor and exterior surfaces t0. the most vigorous part of the blast.

2. 'rho method of treating hollow cylindrical articles having one end surface substantially at.

face as it passes through lthe zone, and rotating the article as it passes through the zone topresent a fresh portion of the interior and exterior surfaces to the most vigorous part of the blast.

3. The method of treating hollow cylindrical articles having one end surface. said surface being perforated, comprising the steps of passing the article through a, path, continuously directing a fluid blast into the interior of the article adjacent one side of its axis as it passes through a longitudinal zolle of the path, continuously directing a fluid blast rst across the outside end surface and then generally axially about the outer surfaces lthereof and is finally discharged l through the slot where i-t is not covered by the Rotation of the articles as they pass along their path serves to bring fresh portions of the end surface as well as of the circumferential surface of the articles 'successively into the most effective disposition with respect to the fluid trendin chamber 28 so. that as in the case of the inside surfaces, the outer surfacesas well are cleaned or dried in an efcient and economical manner.

The system of the present invention may be applied to the drying of hollow articles having one end closed, such as cans, though as pointed outhereinabove, it finds its most advantageous use in connection with the drying and cleaning of articles having one end perforated such as spinnerets The method and apparatus may be lperformed and operated with any fluid desired, such as cold or hot air for drying; or steam, hydrocarbon orchlorinated solvents, for cleaning,

steam being useful for simultaneously cleaningA and drying. The articles may havea flange at one or both ends or none at all. As shown, the flange IB of the spinneret I9 serves to maintain the spinneret in position during'treatment.

A It is to be understood that the description herein is illustrative only and that variations and devations may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of treating hollow cylindrical articles having one e'nd surface, said surface being perforated, comprising the steps of passing the article through a path, continuously directing a fluid blastinto the interior of the article as it passes through a longitudinal zone o i the path, continuously directing a fluid blast flrstacross the outside end surface and then generally axially about the cylindrical surface as it passes through the zone and rotating the article as it v passes through the zone to present a fresh 'portion cylindrical surface` as it passes through the zone, continuously discharging lthe fluid from both the interior and the exterior of the article adjacent the other side of its axis as it passes through the zone, and rotating the article as it passes through the zone to -pres'ent a fresh portion of the interior and exterior surfaces to the most vigorous part of the blast.

4. The method of treating hollow cylindrical articles having one end surface substantially at right angles to the axis, said surface being perforated, comprising the steps of passing the article through va path, continuously directing a fluid blast into the interior of the article adjacent one side of its axis as it passes through a longitudinal zone of the path, continuously directing a. fluid blast first-in a, direction approximately at right angles to that of the first blast across the outside end surface and then generally axially about the cylindrical surface as it passes throughthe zone, continuously discharging the fluid from both the interior and the exterior of the article adjacent the other side of its axis as it passes through the zone, and rotating the article as it passes through the zone to present a fresh portion of the interior and exterior surfaces to the most .vigorous part of the blast.

5. Apparatus for treating hollow cylindrical articles with fluids comprising a guide, belt` means engaging theexternal cylindrical surface of the articles for rollingthe articles in contact with the guide through a path therealong, means extending a substantial distance alongside the path of the articles along the guide for directing a blast of fluid into the articles and additional -means for directing a blast of fluid across and substantially parallel to 'the face of the articles.

6. Apparatus for treating hollow.y cylindrical articles with fluids comprising a guide, belt means engaging the external cylindrical surface of the articles for rolling the articles in contact y with the guide through a path therealong, meansv extending a substantial distance alongside the path of the Aarticles along thel guide for directing a blast of fluid into the articles, additional means for directing a blast of fluid across and substantially parallel to the face of the articles,

and a housing enclosing at least that portion of the path of the articles adjacent the tluid blast means, said housing having entrance and exit openings at the ends thereof.

' '7. Apparatus for treating hollow cylindrical articles with uids comprising a guide, belt means engaging the external cylindrical surface of the articles for rollingthe articles in contact with the guide through a path therealong, means extending a substantial distance alongside the path of the articles along the guide for directing a blast of uid into the articles, additional means for directing a blast or fluid approximately at right angles to Ithat of the rstuid blast across the face of the articles.

8. Apparatus for vtreating hollow cylindrical articles with uids comprising a panel. a guide on the panel, an endless belt having one course spaced from the guide to form a passageway lfor the articles therebetween, means for continuously ldriving the belt to roll the articles through the the panel,an endless belt having one course spaced from the guide to form a passageway for the articles therebetween, means for continuously driving the belt to roll the articles through the passageway, a slot in the panel alongside the passageway, iiuid supply means communicating with said slot, and means opening adjacent the side of the belt away from the panel for directing a blast of 'fluid into the passageway.

10. Apparatus for treating hollow cylindrical articles with iluids comprising a panel, a guide on the panel, an endless belt having one course spaced from the 'guide to form a passageway` for the articles therebetween, means for continuously driving the belt to roll the articles through the passageway, a housing on the panel for enclosing the passageway, entrance and exit openings at the ends of the housing, a slot in the panel along-I side theV passageway, uid supply means communicating with said slot, and means opening into the housing adjacent the side of the belt away from the panel for directing a blast of uid into the passageway.

11. Apparatus for treating hollow cylindrical articles with fluids comprising a panel, a guide on the panel, an endless belt having one course spaced from the guide to form a passageway for the articles therebetween, means for continuously driving the belt to roll the articles through the passageway, a housing on the panel for enclosing the passageway, entrance and exit openings at the housing adjacent the side of the belt away4 from the panel for directing a blast of iluid into the passageway, and a second slot in the panel.

alongside the passageway for discharging fluid therefrom. f

12. Apparatus for treating hollow cylindrical articles with iiuids comprising a panel, a guide on the panel, an endless belt having one course spaced from the'guide to form a passageway for the articles therebetween, means for continuously driving the belt to roll the articles through the passageway, a housing on the panel for enclosing the passageway, entrance and exit openings at the ends of the housing, a slot 'in the panel alongside the passageway, fluid supply means communicating with said slot, means opening into the housing adjacent the side ofthe b'elt away fromthe panel for directing a blast of uid into the passageway, and a second slot in the panel alongside the passageway for discharging uid therefrom, said second slot being disposed along?` side the rst sloton the side thereof away from the blast directing means adjacent the other side of the belt.

13. Apparatus for treating lhollow cylindrical articles with fluids comprising a panel, a guide'fon the panel, an endless belt having one course spaced from the guide to form a passageway for .the articles therebetween, means for continuously driving the belt to roll the articles through the passageway, a housing on the panel comprising .a wall against a portion of which the belt rides for enclosing the passageway, entrance and exit openings at the ends of the housing, a, slot -in the panel alongside the passageway, a slot inthe wall adjacent the side of the belt away from the panel, uid supply means communicating with said slots, another slot in the panel alongside the rst slot therein spaced-to the side thereof away from the wall for discharging fluid from the passageway.

- WESLEY L. WEBB.

j REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in v the file of this patent:

Dorer Oct. '.30, 1,906 

